Adjustable splint



Feb. 16,1926. 1,573,296

H. T. BRASELL ADJUSTABLE SPLINT Filed June-13, 192 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 .5-TBraseZZ Feb. 16 1926.

v H. T. BRASELL ADJUSTABLE SPLINT Filed June 13, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2dummy Patented Feb. 16, 1926.

' time stares PATENT HUGH THOMASBEASELL, F FORT SUMNER, l lEVf MEXICO.

ADJUSTABLE similar.

I Application filed June 13, 1822. eria1 No. 567,985.

7 '0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Hour-1T. Bnasnm, a citizen of the United States,residing at Fort Sumner, in the county of De Baca and State 5 of NewMexico, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in AdjustableSplints, of which the following is a specification. r i This inventionrelates to improvements in surgical splints and more particularly to asplint designed for employment in comic"- tion with the lower limbs, andthe primary object of the invention is to provide a splint by the use ofwhich the inconvenience and disadvantages of confining the broken limbin a plaster of Paris cast are obviated.

Another object of the invention is to provide a splint which, while itwill be adapted to properly sustain the broken or fractured limb in asel'licient a manner as though oncased in a cast, will pe mit ofconvenient access at all times to the injured member for the purpose oftreatment.

Another object of the invention is to provide a splint so constructed asto cause mini mum inconvenience to the patient and much less discomfortthan a plaster cast.

A further objectv of the invention is to 7 provide a splint which maybe'adjusted and adapted to the broken or fractured limb in a manner toinsure of propersetting of the bones and without the liability of anysubsequent deformities.

w A still further object of the invention is to provide a splint whichwill be as effective as a plaster cast in sustaining the injured'limb incondition to insure of proper setting of the bones and which will yet beof such'construction as not to interfere with the patient moving abouton crutches and otherwise assisting himself, which is not practicalwhere a'cast is employed.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is'a perspective view of the splint embodyingthe invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view therethrough;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 33 of Fig. 2 lookingin the direction indicated by the arrows;

"Fig. 4: is aview partly in side elevation and partly in verticalsection illustrating the foot rest of the appliance;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the supporting member for the foot rest.

Generally speaking, the splint. embodying the invention comprises aframe embodying nouns for securing it in proper position upon theinjured limb and adjustable to meet the conditions, and a foot restadjustably n'lounted within the frame and in the drawings the said frameimlicated in general by the numeral 1 and comprises an upper section anda lower section indicated in gen cm], respectively, by the numerals 2and The upper section 2 of the frame comprises side members l wl 'chn'et'crably extend parallel to each other and may be of rod niatcrial,and these members are connected at their upper ends by an arcuate y :lreportion 5 adapted to extend about the rear side of tl e limb in theapplied position of the splint.

The numeral 6 indicates a limb encircling band which is preferablyrelatively broad and which may bemadc of loath r or any other materialfound suitable for the purpose, and this band is disposed within theupper edge portion of the frame, as best shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 ofthe drawing and has its upper rear marginal portion riveted or otherwise secured, as at 7, to the yoke member 5. The band 6 is open at itsfront, as indicated by the numeral 8, so as to adapt it to be appliedabout the limb as, for example, at a point immediately below the knee,as shown in Fig. 1, and a lacing string 9 is suitably adjusted througheyelets 10 PIGVltlOtl at the opposite sides of the open front 8 of theband and may be drawn and tied so as to secure the band about the limbwith a sulflicient degree of snugness and firmness to retain theappliance in proper position. Preferably a liap l1 oi clotlnleather, orany other flexible material suitable for the purpose, is secured to theinner side of the band at one side of the open front 8 and is adapted tobe arranged about the forward sine of the limb and in a positionextending across the open front 8. This flap serves to obviate anydiscomfort which might otherwise be caused the patient through thepresence of the open front 8 and lacing string 9. it this point it willbe evident that the yoke member 5 encircles the rear side of the band 6and that the upper portions of the side members -1- of the frame section6 extend downwardly at opposite sides of the said band and, when theband is applied to the limb. are, as a consequence, positioned atopposite sides of the lower portion of the limb.

The frame section 3 comprises side mem-' bers 12 and a cross bar 13connecting the lower ends of said members. The side members 12 are oftubular form and telescopically receive therlower end portions of theside members a of the frame section 2. as best illustrated in Fig. 2,set screws 14 being threaded through bosses 15 formed at the upper endsof said members 12 and being adapted to be tightened so as to bindagains the members 4 and thus secure the two sections of the frame inpositions of relative longitudinal adjustment. It will be evident byreference to Fig. 1, that the side members 12 of the frame section 3likewise extend at opposite sides of the limb, and the cross bar 13extends transversely beneath the foot, in the applied position of thesplint.

The foot rest embodies in its structure a cross bar or head 16 providedin its ends with openings 17 receiving the side members 12 oftheframe-section 3 and adapting the, said member to be adjusted verticallyand the cross bar 16 will be correspondingly,

adjusted vertically within the frame. A short standard 22 projectsupwardly from the upper side of the cross bar 16 preferably in alinementwith the lower standard 18 and is provided with a spherical head or ball23 which serves a purpose to be presently explained.

The foot rest further includes a foot plate 2 f provided upon itsunderside with a downwardly projecting short shank 25v constituting anextension from a vsocket 26, 1 the wall of which is split vertically, asat 27, to provide segments '28 adapted to fit snugly about the head 23of thestandard 22. The shank 25 is gradually increased in diameterexteriorly. as it merges with the socket 26, and it is also exteriorlythreaded,

as indicated by the numeral 29. A nut or. threaded collar 30 is fittedon to the threaded shank 25- and may be threaded down uponthe shank soas to close the segments 28about the head 23 with a greater or lessdegree of firmness. It will be understood at this point that the socket26 will.

fit the head 2?; in a manner to aiforda substantially universal jointconnection between the foot plate 24 and standard 22 upon the upperlimbs.

plate 24. t

From the foregoing description of the invention it will be obvious thatthe splint constructed as described may be readily adapted to abrolrenor fractured limb and its several component parts suitablyrelatively adjusted to conform to the length of the limb and the desiredangular disposition of the foot. It will also be seen that while thesplint is designed to maintain the injured limb in the position which itis desirable it shall assume during the knitting process, it is notliable to cause any discomfort inasmuch as it is not cumbersome, doesnot encase the limb, and is so light in weight as not to impose anyappreciable strain on the muscles.

It will be understood that while the splint in the form illustrated inthe drawings designed more especially for application to a broken orfractured lower limb, the

principles'of the invention may be made use of in the production of asplint for use evident that considered in a general way, the splintembodies a frame, means associated therewith for attaching the same to alimb, and a rest within the frame for an articulated member of the limband which member would be the foot ofthe lower limb or the hand of anupper limb.

It will also be Having thus described the invention,

what is claimed as new is:

A surgical splint comprising a frame member including side bars and ayoke connecting said bars atone end, a limbencircling band securedrigidly to-said yoke and disposed between said side bars, a second framemember including tubular side bars and a cross bar connecting said sideU bars at one end, the side bars of the firstmentioned frame memberbeing adjustably secured in the tubular side bars of the sec- HUGHTHOMAS BR-ASELL.

